Democratic incumbent Roger Armstrong appears to have won his re-election bid for Seat A on the Summit County Council according to preliminary results from general election night.

Armstrong is poised to retain his seat with 8,378 votes, or about 56%, while his Republican rival, Tory Welch, garnered 6,670 votes, or about 44%, according to results released Thursday night.

Welch, an Army veteran and small business owner from Hoytsville, drew strong support from East Side voters. However, that support was not enough to overcome the support Armstrong received from the Park City area.

The incumbent was hesitant to accept victory until the Summit County Clerk’s Office finished counting the votes, but was pleased with the preliminary results as well as the high projected voter turnout.

Armstrong said seeing citizens become more engaged is one of the best things. 15,815 votes were cast and voter turnout was estimated at 53% as of Thursday, according to the Summit County Clerk’s Office. Secretary Eve Furse anticipated it could reach 90% when all votes are counted.

“When you take a step back, you open the door to a referendum for the people,” he said Thursday.

Armstrong spent Tuesday night at home watching a Netflix show with his wife, Beth. The couple ate dinner and popcorn before going to bed early. They wanted to get some rest before waking up to the results on Wednesday.

Welch also spent election night with her family, not focusing too much on the local results because she expected them to take a while to be released.

The Republican said he wasn’t surprised by the County Council results, although he hoped it would be a closer race. Still, he recognized his chances running against a Democrat in power for 12 years in a blue district. Welch’s campaign focused on breaking one-party control in Summit County and bringing diverse points of view to the County Council.

“It was always a bit of a long shot,” Welch admitted. “I was hoping to do a little better, but I wasn’t expecting a miracle.”

Welch spent about $4,639 on her campaign and raised more than $7,000.

Armstrong did not raise any funds, only spending $339.46 on the candidate’s filing fee. He also did not create a campaign website or signs for the 2024 election.

The incumbent said his record of service is well known and he wanted others to be aware of Welch’s platform. Armstrong appeared at community forums and candidate debates to help voters differentiate between him and Welch.

Armstrong praised Welch for a well-thought-out campaign. He encouraged his opponent to consider running for a board seat to stay involved in local politics.

After his four years are up, Armstrong said there is a 0% chance he will run again. He said he doesn’t want to stay long and believes his service will be enough at the end of his new term.

Armstrong said he has been very fortunate to work with several prominent members of the community, including Kim Carson, Claudia McMullin and Dave Ure. He also hopes to continue working with the current and incoming County Council over the next four years.

“At some point you have to stop,” he said. “At the end of my term, I will happily walk into the haze.”